According to a CNN report from July 2017, over 44 million Americans have a side hustle. And it’s no wonder why; there are so many reasons to pursue multiple streams of income and reap the rewards of greater financial freedom. While there are numerous types of side hustles available, many involve ways to earn extra money from home. That’s right – they don’t even require you to leave the house! And if you’re a pyjama enthusiast like me, that’s a major win.
As I’ve shared in my entrepreneurial story, I started a few side hustles while working full-time. Between income from running my Etsy shop, blogging, publishing books, and being part of the GoRead Buzz Program, I was able to quit my corporate job. Since January 2017, I’ve been self-employed full-time, spending the majority of my time focusing on growing my blog while still generating income from my other projects. I can say without a doubt that multiple streams of income have changed my life for the better and are allowing me to pursue my passion.
But which side hustles can be run from home? And which ones are feasible to undertake while working full time? Today’s post will speak to just that and give you some inspiration as to where to find the best opportunities.
Choosing the Right Side Hustle
Before diving into any of these opportunities, spend some time really thinking about your objectives, strengths, and situation. My post about how to choose the best side hustle for you is a great place to start!
Get clear on what types of opportunities may be the best fit, and keep them in mind as you read through these options.
Flexible Online Opportunities
Blogging
Blogging is a fantastic way to earn extra money from home. That’s because it has low start-up costs, relatively low overhead, and can easily be scaled. In fact, I’ve been blogging off and on since March 2012 and have spent anywhere from an hour a month on my blog to 35+ hours a week.
While there are multiple ways to earn income as a blogger, the most common ways are selling your own products, the products of others (affiliate marketing), advertising, and sponsorships.
My post on the best way to start a blog in 8 easy steps covers everything you need to know as a beginner. It walks you through step by step how to go from concept to reality. Once you’re set up, I’d suggest checking out the best blogging tools I recommend as well as this list of free tools. In these posts, I share my favourite products and services for beginners based on my 5 years of blogging.
User Testing
If you love reviewing things and sharing your opinion, testing websites may be up your alley. Sites like UserTesting.com will pay you to visit and interact with websites or apps, complete a series of tasks, and speak your thoughts aloud. And they pay you $10USD via PayPal for every test you complete (normally 10-20 minutes each).
I discovered UserTesting earlier this year and have been using it a lot recently. It’s a fun way to break up my work day and earn some cash, and it’s very flexible.
eBook Publishing
While some of you may know I published The Confidence Toolkit earlier this year, you may not know that I’ve also published six other eBooks. That’s because I had them written by ghost writers and then published under pen names.
In short, I did keyword research to find out what topics were popular but underserved on Amazon. Then, I hired authors on Upwork to write short eBooks to specifically address these topics. Using graphic designers on Fiverr, I had cover artwork made and then uploaded everything to Kindle Direct Publishing. I earn about $150USD per month passive income on these books, each of which cost no more than $60USD to have written and packaged.
The great thing about eBook publishing is that you can publish as few or as many books as you’d like. While there’s a bit of an up front investment in getting the book created, it yields passive income on an ongoing basis without much ongoing work or oversight.
If you want more information about publishing eBooks on Amazon, I’d recommend reading Kindle Money Mastery by Stefan Pylarinos. He also has a YouTube channel where he posts videos about publishing Kindle books.
GoRead Buzz Program
Imagine a Facebook-meets-Amazon platform, and you’ll be pretty close to picturing GoRead. Started only last year, GoRead is a platform for authors and book lovers to connect. They have the GoRead Buzz Program (read more about that here!) which lets participating offers share in the profits of the site by publishing content and engaging on the platform.
If you’re an author or content creator, it’s a great way to grow your audience and earn money at the same time!
Freelance
With the growth of websites like Upwork, it’s easier than ever to find freelancing jobs from clients across the globe. These can be anything from writing to proofreading to graphic design, and everything in between. You can also find Virtual Assistant jobs if you’re looking for broader or more administrative tasks.
Once you build your portfolio on Upwork, you can grow your business further by starting your own website, taking on clients in your local area, or hiring a team.
Online Surveys and Customer Feedback
As a former marketer, I used to love filling out surveys! There are a ton of companies offering cash or rewards for surveys, so be sure to read what each one offers before signing up. Some, for example, offer cash whereas others offer rewards in the form of gift cards.
To make the most of this form of income, sign up for as many sites as you’d like and complete all available surveys. This will help your earnings build! Here are some options:
U.S.
- Survey Rewardz
- E-Poll Market Research
- CashCrate
- Toluna USA
- iSurvey World
- ClickPerks
- Panda Research
- SurveyVoices
- MyPoints
- Opinion Bureau
- InboxPays (plus get $5 just for signing up!)
- Inbox Dollars (you can also install on iOS App | Android App)
- Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel
Canada
- Pinecone Research Canada
- VIP Voice Canada
- OpinionPlus
- MyPoints
- DailyRewards (plus get $5 just for signing up!)
- Nielsen Homescan
Worldwide
Find even more at my post The Best Legit Surveys for Money You Can Start Today.
Online Retail Opportunities
Etsy
Selling products on Etsy changed my life as it allowed me to quit my corporate job to pursue Etsy and blogging full-time. Since I opened in October 2015, my shop has steadily grown and I’ve been able to double my revenue without much investment.
If you’re not familiar with Etsy, it’s an online marketplace where sellers can sell vintage goods (items over 20 years old), handmade products, and craft supplies. It’s really easy to get started, and costs are based on volume of sales, making it easier to scale. You can also sell digital items (prints, website themes, and more) if you’re looking for more of a passive income stream.
To get started on Etsy, sign up here to get your first 40 listings free. You can also check out my introduction to selling on Etsy and my advice for running a successful shop.
In Person Opportunities
Babysitting
This one is great if you work from home, or have flexible hours. While you’ll need to take a First Aid course and be great with kids, there aren’t many start up costs involved and it can be a lot of fun. This is especially worth considering if you’re on maternity leave and will be home anyways taking care of your baby.
Looking for even more options? Check out my post 30 Amazing Ways to Earn Extra Cash On the Side.
In Closing
There are so many reasons to pursue multiple streams of income and with the rise of the internet, there’s never been a better (or easier!) time to get started. Consider these side hustles to grow your income from the comfort of your own home. Which one(s) will you be pursuing? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Looking for tools to help you grow your business? Check out 10 of the Best Online Business Tools for Managing Your Side Hustle. And if you’re curious as to the best ways to invest in your business or blog, check out my post The Best Investments I’ve Made in My Business.
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